Michael’s: 7/28 1/4pm. Passport to Imagination India 1-4 pm. Check to see if your local Michael’s is participating. The event is free for children 3 and up.

Disney Store: Friday 7/27- Sunday 7/29. In-store events will occur EVERY DAY from July 23rd – August 26th. Attend 4 events and receive a special gift! Visit or call our local Disney Store for specific event times and details! *Minimum age for participation is 3 years. While supplies last. Event limited per session based on store capacity. No lineups prior to 30 minutes before event begins. Event subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Lowes Build and Grow:Saturday 7/28 10am & Sunday 7/29 2pmPo has brought all of his friends to Lowe’s this week! Your child will love building this Kung Fu Panda Stacking Friends kit this weekend! Lowe’s Build and Grow is FREE and your child will receive the kit to build, free apron, goggles and patch.

Guitar Center: Saturday 7/28 Guitar Center has partnered with Avid and is proud to offer a new Recording Made Easy Pro Tools 10 class. Every month we will present a series of four classes that show you how to take your ideas from basic tracks to finished songs using your Apple computer and Avid’s industry standard Pro Tools software. Reserve your seat now, as capacity is limited!

American Girl: Friday 7/27 Various events in different cities. Check for your local stores.

Whole Foods: Fundays on the Plaza: Join us every Sunday morning for a Sunday Funday courtesy of Health Starts Here. Classes are free, but you might want to bring a water bottle and a yoga/work out mat.

Storytime With Austin Summer Musical for Children!@ Barnes & Noble: 7/21 11 AM.Join the members of the Austin Summer Musical for Children as they celebrate 25 years in Austin by reading Alice in Wonderland by Robert Sabuda. This version of the story includes pop-up pages that make the story come to life. Sunset Valley Village, 5601 Brodie Lane Suite 300, Austin, TX 78745, 512-892-3493

LeapFrog Tag Geography Relay! @ Barnes & Noble: 7/21 1PM. Children ages 4 and up and their parents are invited for the LeapFrog Tag Geography Relay. This fun event will teach children teamwork and map skills while they learn the geography of the U.S. Come in or call to put your name on the sign-up sheet. 10000 Research Blvd #158, Austin, TX 78759, 512-418-8985

Michael’s: 7/21 1/4pm. Passport to Imagination Chile 1-4 pm. Check to see if your local Michael’s is participating. The event is free for children 3 and up.

Babies R Us: Saturday 7/21 12-4 pm. My First Coloring Event, Stay cool indoors with My First Coloring Event! Watch your little ones create an original work of art and don’t forget to hang it up at home! Plus, receive a valuable coupon just for joining us! Event intended for children: parental supervision required at all times. Event coupons available while supplies last and distributed to participating guests only. Limit one per guest. Quantities limited; no rainchecks.

Wow! Scott Brands is giving out FREE Admission to local attractions! It’s super easy, all you have to do is sign up for the Free Admission Family Fun Pass and you will get a redemption code you will need to use to get your pass. After you do this you can enter your zip code to find a place near you that is participating in this program.

Some of the included attractions are:

miniature golf

go-carting

bowling

zoos

museums

and more!

If you have any specific questions about the Family Fun Pass, please call 1-888-200-3966.

Need some excitement tomorrow or just some free chicken?! If so, you’ll want to head on over to your local Chick-fil-A on July 13th because it’s Cow Appreciation Day! In celebration of Cow Appreciation Day, Chick-fil-A will give out FREE combo meals (breakfast, lunch or dinner) to any customer that comes fully dressed from head to hoof as a cow.

Not feeling like a cow? Then you can at least get a FREE entree if you partially dress up in cow attire….your local Chick-fil-A will determine how ‘cowish’ you look and what you get awarded. I have heard in the past that people that have those cow spotted purses were able to “qualify” for an entree! You can even print out the costume HERE!

Have fun and please be sure to post some of your Cow pictures on the Facebook page and tag us in them so we can see!

Looking for something fun and frugal to do with the kids this summer? Every Tuesday and Wednesday, at participating Regal Cinemas, you can take the kids to the movies for only $1 per child. They are playing select PG and G movies every week starting at 10 am. Just head to the Regal Cinemas Summer Movie Express page, to check out where your local participating theater is, and what great kids movies they are playing!

BookPeople: Saturday 7/7 @11:30AM. The decidedly more mythical cousins of dinosaurs and alligators, dragons are seriously cool. After all, they are giant, legendary beasts who can fly and breathe fire! So you definitely want to join us today for storytime celebrating these fearsomely fantastic creatures. We’ll be reading the brand-new Dragons Love Tacos and other deliciously dragony tales

Kid’s Club: Sunday 7/8, 12-2pm.Hey kids, stop by and check out what’s going on at Kid’s Club. Each week we have an exciting activity that will let you play with your food plus learn a couple things along the way. July 8th – What is a succulent? Find out and create a place for it to live!

Fundays on the Plaza: Join us every Sunday morning for a Sunday Funday courtesy of Health Starts Here. Classes are free, but you might want to bring a water bottle and a yoga/work out mat.

Ruta Maya:Join us Sunday 5/27 at 10:30 AM Kid Show: SpiderGoats Family Band

First Saturday at the Bob Bullock Museum: Satuday 7/7 2-6 pm The Museum offers FREE admission to the exhibits on the first Saturday of each month with First Saturdays. Visitors can also take advantage of the monthly thematic TEXplorations Family Story Time from on First Saturdays.

Michael’s: 7/7 1/4pm. Passport to Imagination North Pole. Check to see if your local Michael’s is participating. The event is free for children 3 and up from .

Bank of America: Saturday 7/7 & Sunday 7/8 Free Museums On Us days for Bank of America cardholders! There are over 100 participating Museums, Zoos, Science Centers, and Botanical Gardens across the US.

• Kids will learn to build their very own organizer while learning tool safety
• Have fun, make friends and gain a sense of achievement and work ethic Workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills, tool safety and instill a sense of pride and accomplishment. All kids get to keep their craft and receive a FREE Kids Workshop Apron, commemorative pin and certificate of achievement.

BookPeople: Saturday 6/30 @11:30AM. Being the same as everyone else is no fun! Here at BookPeople we think that being unique and different makes people really cool. But at the same time, we all sometimes have trouble appreciating ourselves for who we are. That’s why we love reading Edward the Emu and other special stories all about learning to see that being yourself rocks!

Kid’s Club: Sunday 7/1, 12-2pm.Hey kids, stop by and check out what’s going on at Kid’s Club. Each week we have an exciting activity that will let you play with your food plus learn a couple things along the way. July 1st – Fourth of July activity

Fundays on the Plaza: Join us every Sunday morning for a Sunday Funday courtesy of Health Starts Here. Classes are free, but you might want to bring a water bottle and a yoga/work out mat.

Ruta Maya:Join us Sunday 7/1 at 10:30 AM Kid Show: The Telephone Company

Hill Country Galleria Independence Day Festival: Saturday, June 30 from 11-9 PM, is a unique experience showcasing the finest artwork and artisans, live music, delicious local and international foods, fireworks, and performing arts. Bring the entire family for a day of fun and excitement. The festivities will be capped off with a fabulous 4th of July Fireworks display that will be sure to impress. FREE ADMISSION AND FREE PARKING.

BookPeople: Saturday 6/23 @11:30AM. Forget lions and tigers. Bears are the kings of the forest in our book, whether they’re of the Grizzly, Brown, or Teddy persuasion. It’s true that they scare us a little (and we should probably keep our distance), but we just wish we could cuddle up with one and eat blueberries all day long. That’s why we’re reading The Bear Went Over the Mountain and other stories all about our beautifully burly bearish friends.

Kid’s Club: Sunday 6/24, 12-2pm.Hey kids, stop by and check out what’s going on at Kid’s Club. Each week we have an exciting activity that will let you play with your food plus learn a couple things along the way. June 24th – Create some buzz with knowledge about bees. Make your own bumble bee!

Fundays on the Plaza: Join us every Sunday morning for a Sunday Funday courtesy of Health Starts Here. Classes are free, but you might want to bring a water bottle and a yoga/work out mat.

LEGO Building Event: Saturday June 23, 2012 1:00 PM.Parents and children ages 4 and up are invited to visit us for the Lego Building Event. Kids will hone their fine motor skills while having a blast building with Lego micro bricks. Build an Ice Cream Stand or Harry Potter Lab to take home! Arboretum 10000 Research Blvd #158, Austin, TX

Lowes Build and Grow:Saturday 6/23 10am & Sunday 6/24 2pmAlex and the gang are back this weekend! Register your child for this clinic and they can build this awesome Luxury Assault Vehicle from Madagascar 3! Lowe’s Build and Grow is FREE and your child will receive the kit to build, free apron, goggles and patch.

BookPeople: Saturday 6/16 @11:30AM. Here at BookPeople, we think our dads rule, and we bet you do too. So in anticipation of Father’s Day, we are celebrating all the things that make our dads the coolest and most lovable guys around. So this morning we are reading Oh, Daddy! and other stories all about dads and then making cute cards to celebrate our fathers.

Kid’s Club: Sunday 6/17, 12-2pm.Hey kids, stop by and check out what’s going on at Kid’s Club. Each week we have an exciting activity that will let you play with your food plus learn a couple things along the way. June 17th – Father’s Day Activity

Fundays on the Plaza: Join us every Sunday morning for a Sunday Funday courtesy of Health Starts Here. Classes are free, but you might want to bring a water bottle and a yoga/work out mat.

Harry Potter Wand Making Event: Friday 6/155:00pm until 7:00pm. Free Family Event!! Our Hogwarts Art Camps may be all full, but you can still get in on the fun! Drop in and create a wand complete with phoenix feather, unicorn hair or dragon heart string. Allow about 45 minutes and be ready to help your kiddos under 8.

Michael’s: 6/15 6-8pm. Looking for something to do for Father’s Day? Take the kids to Michael’s today and make a FREE duct tape wallet. Check to see if your local Michael’s is participating. The event is free for children 3 and up from .

*Minimum age for participation is 3 years. Event limited per session based on store capacity. No lineups prior to 30 minutes before event begins. Event subject to change or cancellation without notice. Call store for more information.

LEGO Super Heroes: Toys R Us stores (call ahead to make sure yours is participating)
Sat. June 16, 2 to 4 p.m.
Create your own Batman or Superman shield with LEGO bricks and take it home!

BookPeople: Saturday 6/9 @12PM. It Jes’ Happened is a biography of outsider artist Bill Traylor, a former slave who at the age of 83 began to draw pictures based on his memories and observations of rural and urban life. As an enslaved boy on an Alabama farm in the early 1860s, Bill Traylor worked in the hot cotton fields. After slavery ended, Bill’s family stayed on the land as sharecroppers. By the time he was 79, Bill was all alone in the world. Lonely, poor and eventually homeless, he wandered the downtown streets of Montgomery, Alabama. But deep within himself Bill had a reservoir of memories of his lifetime spent on the land. When he was 83 years old, these memories blossomed into pictures. Bill began to draw people and places from his earlier life, as well as scenes from the busy city around him. Today, Bill Traylor is considered one of the most important American self-taught artists. Don Tate is the award-winning illustrator/author of more than 40 books for children, trade and educational. It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Taught Himself to Draw is a Lee & Low New Voices honor winner. His other titles include She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story and Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite.

Kid’s Club: Sunday 6/10, 12-2pm. Hey kids, stop by and check out what’s going on at Kid’s Club. Each week we have an exciting activity that will let you play with your food plus learn a couple things along the way. Love the ocean? Make your own sustainable fish.

Fundays on the Plaza: Join us every Sunday morning for a Sunday Funday courtesy of Health Starts Here. Classes are free, but you might want to bring a water bottle and a yoga/work out mat.

Lowes Build and Grow:Saturday 6/9. DreamWorks is flying into Lowe’s this Summer! Your child will love building this Monkey Powered Plane straight from the Madagascar movies. Lowe’s Build and Grow is FREE and your child will receive the kit to build, free apron, goggles and patch.

If are anything like me you don’t cook on the weekends, I know it sounds kinda bad but we usually have so much going on I just don’t have time. I am extremely frugal but it’s really hard to save money on the weekends when we spend no less than $30 at each meal.

So I decided to post all the dining deals I find every Friday so if you have to eat out, at least you are doing it frugally!

Free Doughnut: On Friday, June 1, Krispy Kreme is helping its fans across the country pay homage on this delectable holiday by offering every guest one FREE doughnut of any variety at participating Krispy Kreme US locations.

P.F.Changs: Get a FREE Order of Lettuce Wraps from P.F. Changs when you download their new app. How easy is that? I absolutely love these things!

KFC: Click here and enter your zip code to print several coupons including one for $3.00 off a 12-Piece Meal. Redeem all coupons through June 30th.

Del Taco: Click here and “like” them on Facebook to print a coupon for a free chicken or steak Asada Taco with the purchase of any drink. You can also print one for a free breakfast burrito with the purchase of iced or hot Prima Java Coffee. Redeem both coupons through June 5th.

Chuck E. Cheese:Click here to print several coupons including one for 2 large pizzas for $22.00. Redeem through July 4th.

Quiznos:Click here to print a coupon for a free chip or dessert and bottled drink with the purchase of a regular or large sub. Redeem through June 6th.

Little Caesars: Click here to print a coupon for a Crazy Combo for $1.99. This includes Crazy Bread and sauce. Redeem through June 30th.

Maggie Moo’s:Click here to print a coupon for $3.00 off an 8″ or large sheet cake for graduation. Redeem through June 30th.

T.G.I. Friday’s: Click here to print a coupon for $5.00 off your table’s food purchase of $15 or more. Redeem through June 30th.

Also, make sure to visit FreeFuninAustin.com for an extensive list of all the places kids eat free!

Bank of America: Saturday 6/2 & Sunday 6/3 Free Museums On Us days for Bank of America cardholders! There are over 100 participating Museums, Zoos, Science Centers, and Botanical Gardens across the US.

The Home Depot: Saturday 6/29am-Noon, Free Kids Workshop: Kids can build an organizer to store hair bands, race cars… or make a great gift for DAD!

• Kids will learn to build their very own organizer while learning tool safety
• Have fun, make friends and gain a sense of achievement and work ethic Workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills, tool safety and instill a sense of pride and accomplishment. All kids get to keep their craft and receive a FREE Kids Workshop Apron, commemorative pin and certificate of achievement.

BookPeople: Saturday 6/2 @11:30AM. Mooooooo! Oink! Nay! Squeak! Down on the farm, real outdoor adventures tend to include swatting bugs, mowing hay, milking cows, and drinking plenty of lemonade to cool off. But these stories about farm life make everything seem like a lot more fun and a lot less work. So today we’ll be reading Punk Farm along with other haybailin’ tales for you to enjoy!

Kid’s Club: Sunday 6/3, 12-2pm. Hey kids, stop by and check out what’s going on at Kid’s Club. Each week we have an exciting activity that will let you play with your food plus learn a couple things along the way. Enjoy some delicious Hummus & Veggie Faces

Fundays on the Plaza: Join us every Sunday morning for a Sunday Funday courtesy of Health Starts Here. Classes are free, but you might want to bring a water bottle and a yoga/work out mat.

First Saturday at the Bob Bullock Museum: Satuday 6/2 2-6 pm The Museum offers FREE admission to the exhibits on the first Saturday of each month with First Saturdays. Visitors can also take advantage of the monthly thematic TEXplorations Family Story Time from on First Saturdays.